Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co., the hedge funds that purchased the Twinkies brand, understood the depth and capacity of the relationship that Twinkies had with their consumers – a relationship that no other product could have. They valued that relationship to the tune of $410 million.

That relationship’s value is rooted firmly in the Twinkies brand.

The power of the Twinkie brand is simple – a Twinkie is a Twinkie. Not a snack cake, not a cream filled treat, but a Twinkie. Nothing else can be a Twinkie. Nothing else can own that mindspace.

Many products tried to fill the Twinkie gap, but none have been able to develop the relationship that Twinkies owned with America – ‘the real thing’. Flowers Foods’ look-a-like called “TastyKake ,” Blue Bird brand launched “Bingles,” Mrs. Freshley came out with “Dreamies” and Little Debbie stepped up its production and marketing of their “Cloud Cakes.”

The prospect of losing the real thing sent people running to stores out of a fear of losing something that was irreplaceable, something that was real. In their minds, nothing could replace the Twinkie.

That’s the power an iconic brand has. When a brand is seen as the real thing, nothing else can take its place. A Q-tip is a Q-tip. A Xerox is a Xerox. Coke is Coke, and a Twinkie is a Twinkie.